Sharpening perceptions of reality and providing spiritual guidance for those in the crux of wilderness experiences. Substantial spiritual nourishment for those who know or sense that Christ is anything but shallow. Encouraging readers to radically (which to Christ is normal) serve God and others.
The author is teaching herself and others to read the world through the lens of the gospel and to become active participants in the local and worldwide body of Christ.

Dec 18, 2007

Spiritual Discipline of the Mundane

We loathe the mundane. We'd much rather be off doing something more exciting, something more meaningful. Doing laundry, homework, dishes, yardwork, cooking and cleaning seems so underwhelming. What would happen if we let all the monotonous tasks go, if we didn't fulfill our daily responsibilities? Chaos.

We see it all around us, people addicted to adrenalin, neglecting the tasks and people at their fingertips. I'm talking to myself here. If I neglect the laundry or dishes or daily task of picking up the apartment because I'd rather read or spend time in other places with other people, I suffocate from clutter. Stress invades. Conflict arises.

If we daily neglect acts of love and service to our loved ones, death invades our relationships.

If we daily neglect our work it catches up to us. We get a bad grade, bad review or get fired.

If we daily neglect caring for our bodies, we lose teeth, gain weight and contribute to the onset of disease.

If we daily neglect to intentionally remember the poor, oppressed, orphans, and widows, we develop a lifetime habit of ignoring them. We live for ourselves. And Jesus says we'll go to hell (Matthew 25).

If we daily neglect caring for creation, we'll make it uninhabitable.

I wonder how often governments that ignore fingertip tasks have stirred up conflict?

There is a spiritual discipline involved in fulfilling the mundane tasks set before us. When we fulfill our daily assignments we do our part to hold the world together. When we fail to, we add to its dissolution.

1 comment:

Good thoughts! I am trying to relearn my own focus in Christ. As much as I love Philosophy and Theology...I think these things are not the essence of our true life in Christ. On the latest NES retreat we received a free copy of Mulholland's new book: "The Deeper Journey." I appreciate his idea that the true goal of being a Christian is union with God. As a worrier by nature..this truth gives me security beyond any doctrinal belief. Not that I am disparaging doctrine....on the contrary doctrine is the foundation....union with God is the purpose of the structure. Blessings! - K

Gracious Christians Unite!

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Read Old Books. They Expand Our Souls.

One excellent way to see how much our culture's passing weather patterns have influenced us is to read old books. If you recieve all your information from contemporary writers, Christian or secular, you will never perceive whole concepts that people in other generations could see. (For example, earlier generations of Christians perceived a power in sexual purity that eludes us completely; we can only fall back on "don'ts"). Every Christian should always have at his bedside at least one book that is at least fifty years old--the older the better.

"To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness - especially in the wilderness - you shall love him." —Frederick Buechner

Las Lajas Cathedral

About Me

In seminary, my pastor friends dubbed me a modern-day Christian mystic, a contemplative. I've been called to preach through the pen (or keyboard as technology has it). I've accepted my gifts and hope to nourish readers with the nourishment I've received. I'm married to my soulmate,Shawn. He's a philosophy professor. And I graduated from Northeastern Seminary (a truly great place) with an M.Div. and gave birth to a beautiful human being, my daughter Iliana, almost within the same week. I am a regular contributing writer for Christianity Today's Her.meneutics Blog and a proud member of the Redbud Writers Guild. If you are nourished by what you read, please pass it along to another wilderness traveler.